


Ghost Adventures: Return to Preston Castle

by GhostAdventuresfan09



Series: Ghost Adventures [4]
Category: Ghost Adventures (TV), Ghost Adventures RPF
Genre: Adventure, Deadly Shadows, F/M, Gen, Ghost Hunting, Haunted Castle, Haunting, Hearing Voices, Paranormal, Platonic Female/Male Relationships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-23
Updated: 2017-04-23
Packaged: 2018-10-23 01:05:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10708932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GhostAdventuresfan09/pseuds/GhostAdventuresfan09
Summary: Zak, Nick and Aaron reinvestigate unfinished business inside the renowned paranormal hotspot.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer:
> 
> The Ghost Adventures show is owned by the Travel Channel and the Crew members: Zak Bagans, Nick Groff and Aaron Goodwin own themselves.
> 
> This fanfiction isn’t a real story, but the Ghost Adventures Crew are real people.
> 
> Preston Castle is a real location and most of its history, however some stories within the building are fiction.

_Before the Lockdown…_  
  
A few weeks later, it was time to rejoin Zak, Nick and Aaron on another investigation. Knowing that we going to revisit one of the old locations, I studied on every possible one they did. I still didn't know which one we were doing until I discovered when my airline tickets were to California.  
On the day of my flight to our location, I packed up my gear and headed out.  
  
I was ready for my next Ghost Adventures.


	2. Walkthough Part 1

_Ghost Adventures Title sequence_  
  
 _My name is Zak Bagans. I've never believed in ghosts until I came face to face with one._  
 _So I set out on a quest to capture what I once saw onto video..._  
 _With no big camera crews following us around, I am joined only by my fellow investigator Nick Groff and our equipment tech Aaron Goodwin._  
 _The three of us will travel to some of the most highly active paranormal locations, where we will spend an entire night, being locked down from dusk until dawn..._  
  
 _Raw..._  
 _Extreme..._  
  
These are our _Ghost Adventures_.  
________________________________________

Preston Castle, CA  
  
Walkthrough Part 1  
  
Zak, Nick and Aaron found me at the airport and we all got in their minivan to our lockdown site.  
  
"Come on, Zak. Tell me where we're going." I begged in anticipation, he chuckled lightly.  
  
"You'll see soon."  
  
Finally after about a half hour of driving, we arrived and I recognized the building right away.  
  
The tall brick red fortress claimed the mountain, towering over us as we pulled up.  
  
"Preston Castle," I turned to Zak, "Are you serious?"  
  
"Yep, this is where we're revisiting." He replied.  
  
As the guys filmed Zak, I looked around the grounds and remembering what they experienced here. In the distance, I heard Zak doing his narration.  
  
"We've returned to Preston Castle. This old reformatory once housed juvenile offenders and abandoned children. Its dark history includes an unsolved murder, countless instances of corporal punishment and many tragic deaths. Including Anna Corbin, who was bludgeoned to death by an unknown assailant."  
  
I couldn't help but flash back when the ghost of Anna possessed Zak, pondering if it would occur again. If so, maybe find answers to what happened to her.  
  
A while later, we began interviewing witnesses including Gloria Young from Ghost Trackers.  
  
"Gloria, tell us about what you've experienced since last time we were here."  
  
"Well, my group and I conducted an investigation here about a month ago. I often felt like I was being watched in the boys' dorms and then had my hair tugged while doing an EVP session."  
  
Next, we interviewed Lillian Omara and Travis Burdett. They shared their experiences from a recent Ghost tour held there.  
  
"Now, Travis. What happened while you guys were here?" Zak asked.  
  
"I felt as though I was being watched and followed as we went around the building."  
  
Lillian added her side,  
  
"I felt the same thing the whole night."   
  
Dustin Patterson was another investigator on Gloria's group and showed the Fire escape just outside a Second Floor window.  
  
"You guys see it?"  
  
"Yeah." Zak replied.  
  
"Well, I heard that a Guard here just didn't want to take his job, so he committed suicide by jumping from the Fire Escape. So while I was filming there, I actually caught a mist figure. The window was open at the time so it wasn't a reflection, bug or anything explainable."  
  
"Alright, Aaron. Why do don't you set an X here? We could capture that, too."  
  
We then headed down to the Basement where we met Russel McCarthy who was attending a ghost hunt event at the Castle.   
  
"I was just walking down the dark halls while the rest of my group headed for the Playroom. As I walked, I heard what sounded like pans clinging in the Kitchen. But when I looked around inside, no one was there and nothing was moved."  
  
"Really? You heard noises and nothing moved?" Zak asked.  
  
"Nope, nothing."  
  
I could see the look on Nick's face behind his shoulder camera; this must have reminded him when he heard the same thing at his own home. I couldn't help but feel his concern, but he stayed focused on the task at hand.  
  
While still in the Basement, Travis shared an experience he had down there.  
  
"I was walking out of the Showers when I suddenly felt an intense burning on my side. Lifted my shirt up and noticed I had scratches on me. I didn't hit anything that would've caused that."  
  
I noticed Zak getting rallied up.  
  
"Scratches, huh? Well, I'm going in here tonight by myself 'cause I wanna be scratched."  
  
Slightly shaking my head, I thought he was crazy for wanting that. I guess because he wasn't scratched last time the last time they were there, this must be his chance.  
We headed to the Second Floor again where Paul Waggoner, who was on the same group as Russel.  
  
"We were heading to the Main Stairs, I heard slamming doors."  
  
"Could you see any slamming doors?"  
  
"No, my group checked it out and there wasn't any drafts or anyone else up here."  
  
"Looks like we're gonna be in for a long night." Aaron joked behind his camera.  
  
As we headed down the hallway, I saw a familiar room…Anna Corbin's apartment.  
  
The story of Anna's murder is still a mystery and I guess, the guys invited me here to see if Anna would communicate with me. Something I have experienced before with spirits making contact, but the encounters aren't always pleasant.  
  
As we headed off to meet with other witnesses, Zak took a brief moment to talk with me.  
  
"Aura, you know what happened to me here?"  
  
I never could forget after watching the episode.  
  
"Yeah, why do you ask?"  
  
"In case, anything like that happens during our lockdown…"  
  
He paused for a second, but I could tell what he was trying to say.  
  
"Don't worry, Zak. I'll be fine."  
  
"I figured you would be, but if you ever feel threatened or not like yourself then let us know."  
  
Reassuring him that I was still willing to investigate tonight, we scouted the Castle grounds for next set of interviews.  
\-------------------------------------------------------------


	3. Walkthrough Part 2

Walkthrough Part 2

Dustin showed us another location where he had an experience, this time in the Playroom of the Basement.  
  
"Gloria and I were conducting an EVP session, we even placed some toys down here. Soon we caught one of the objects moving and got an EVP afterwards."  
  
"What'd it say?" Zak asked.  
  
"Sounded like it was an older boy saying 'Don't do that…"  
  
"Think he was trying to keep the other boys from interacting with you?"  
  
"Sure, seemed that way." Dustin replied.  
  
As we were checking out the area, I still had the creeps since basements always made me feel uncomfortable…like I was stepping into a dark, lonely place. Last time I was in a basement alone, I was nearly attacked by a shadow figure at the Halden Mansion.  
  
But coming back to my senses, I overheard Russel leading us to the place where Anna's murdered body was found.  
  
"So I was here, I just tried to see if anyone was knew what happened to their housekeeper…and of course, being stupid I provoked them into giving me an answer. I didn't see this until we headed upstairs, but someone said 'Hey Russ, something got you on your face."  
  
He paused for a second, using his hand to gesture what happened.  
  
"Another group member said it looked like someone slapped me hard on the face."  
  
"That's something I heard before." Nick replied.  
  
"Yeah, at that Former Psychiatric Hospital."  I remembered, I could almost see the episode play in my mind as I recalled a similar thing happening to him.  
  
"I'm guessing one of the boys got pissed at me and slapped me to show how tough they were." Russel added.  
  
"Well, they're gonna be dealing with me. I don't stand for bullies, living or dead."  
  
Rolling my eyes a bit, I knew Zak was asking for it and the results were never good.   
  
Although I appreciate how he doesn't take anything from bullies, I wish he'd find other ways than challenging them.  
\------  
  
We were on the Second Floor again, this time Lillian shared another encounter.  
  
"I was just looking around at the different rooms while Travis checked out the Infirmary…when I suddenly this loud, male scream."  
  
"Whoa, we've heard that before, haven't we?" Zak asked, looking over at Aaron.  
  
"Yeah, dude."  
  
So while Aaron set an X in the hall, Travis showed us the Infirmary.  
  
"I was in here when I heard Lillian call out if anyone heard the male scream, we didn't and decided to go where she was."  
  
He paused, and walked towards the beds.  
  
"As I passed one of the beds, I felt someone grab my arm, like so hard it stopped me in my tracks."  
  
"How hard was it?"  
  
Travis jumped into the old bed and had Zak walk slowly his way, then grabbed his forearm.  
  
"Wow…"  
  
"Yeah, it was like they wanted me to stop." Travis replied.  
  
"Maybe they thought you could help them, like bring them medicine or something 'cause they treated tuberculosis and other diseases in here." Nick added in.  
  
Aaron ripped some duct tape to form an X and stepped on it lightly,  
  
"Looks like we're coming back here again…"   
  
He said as I handed his camera back.  
\--------  
  
Dustin had one more hot spot to show us by the Main Stairs.  
  
"I was walking up these stairs with our team when one of our investigators felt a cold spot, so I snapped a picture with my Digital Camera and got a mist figure behind him."  
  
"You brought the photo with you?"  
  
"Sure did."  
  
He pulled the photo from his jacket and showed a light, grayish figure behind the investigator.  
  
"Wow, that's a clear figure and it's not a shadow, you guys didn't feel any drafts or anything?"  
  
"Nope, we checked it out and no air current was coming through the stairs."  
  
So Aaron set another X near the stairs and as Dustin left, Paul and Russel had more experiences to tell us about.  
  
"So Paul and I decided to check out the old Schoolroom and for the heck of it…tried to do a Séance and see if we could contact anyone here."  
  
"You guys get anything?"  
  
"Nothing more than noises we couldn't explain, maybe they were trying to stop us from doing the Séance."  
  
"That's gotta be a good thing 'cause Séances are dangerous if you don't know what you're doing." I suggested and Zak nodded in reply.  
  
"Yeah, then Russel had something happen sometime later that scared the living hell out of him."  
  
"Here, I'll show you where."  
  
Russel lead us to the Staff Dining room.  
  
"Paul and I were walking through here, it was pitch dark and I suddenly felt someone punched me hard on the side. I thought it was Paul at first, but he was about 5 feet away from me and we were the only two in the room."  
  
"Well, Aaron. Set an X here and see if that violent spirit will contact us tonight."  
  
As they did so, I remembered from the previous episode that Samuel Goins was responsible for taunting the living. Samuel was a juvenile at the Castle who was shot in the back during an escape, I wonder like the guys if he'll make himself known to us.  
  
Thankfully, we didn't have very long to wait and find out.  
  
Zak turned to us,  
  
"Well, with all our X's set. Let's go gear up 'cause we're in for…one…hell of a lockdown."  
  
"Let's do it." I whispered to myself and followed them.  
  
As we headed for the stairs, I was stopped again for the need to glance into Anna's room.   
  
For some reason…I felt as though…I was gonna be in that room tonight, but not a clue as to why.  
  
"Hey Aura, you comin'?" I heard Nick call out to me.  
  
"Yeah."   
  
I walked down the steps, hoping to find out why Anna's room was on my mind so much.  
  
But my task now was to get ready for a lockdown with Zak, Nick and Aaron.   
\--------------------------------------


	4. Set up for Lockdown

Set up for Lockdown  
  
With the Exterior Night-vision Camera set and recording, Aaron joined us at the porch of the large Castle.  
  
"Here we go, back into Preston Castle."  
  
Zak said as he turned the building.  
  
"Nick, Aaron, Aura, you guys ready?"  
  
"I'm ready." Nick replied behind his shoulder camera.  
  
"Let's do it." I answered him while carrying a heavy, black case of gear.  
  
"Yeah, dude." Aaron retorted in a slight chuckle.  
  
"Dustin's gonna let us out at dawn." Zak said to Nick's camera.  
  
"You guys have a good time."  
  
"I bet we will."  
  
I could immediately feel that was an understatement, we were in for like Zak said 'one hell of a lockdown'.  
  
With all of us inside and fist-bumping Dustin for luck, he locked the large door behind us and Zak helped for the other locks inside.  
  
"Alright, guys. Let's go to our base and get set for the investigation."  
  
Looking out the windows, dusk was sinking behind the mountain. Reminding me of being locked down in a prison, but at least I was in the company of my crew.  
  
We took a few minutes to rest and set our gear for the lockdown.  
  
Zak later called us together and set a list in front of him on a table, Nick filmed him on his shoulder camera. The light glared through the dim room, I stood close to see what our plans were.  
  
"Let's call out our X cams."  
  
Pointing with his pen, he voiced the locations.  
  
"First X: The Fire Escape.  
Dustin said a guard committed suicide there and captured a mist figure on film."  
  
"Next X: First Floor Hallway.  
This is where Lillian heard a disembodied male scream."  
  
"Next X: Infirmary.  
Travis was physically grabbed on the arm while passing an empty bed there."  
  
"Next X: Main Stairs on the same floor.  
Dustin captured an unexplained mist figure on a photograph."  
  
"Next X: the Staff Dining room.  
Russel got punched by an unseen force after conducting a Séance with Paul."  
  
He quickly looked up and pointed at the camera,  
  
"Which we will NOT do because it's dangerous," then he looked over at Aaron.  
  
"But then again…when have we ever taken danger seriously?"  
  
"Almost never." He laughed lightly.  
  
"Exactly, but not for us tonight." Zak replied and continued down his list.  
  
"Next X in the Basement: the Showers.  
Travis was scratched on his side, I'm going there by myself."  
  
"Next X: the Playroom.  
Gloria and Dustin captured objects moving and got an EVP saying 'Don't do that…"  
  
"Next X: the corner where Anna's body was discovered.  
Russel was slapped after provoking the spirits there."  
  
"And finally, the Second floor Hallway.  
Paul heard slamming doors without any drafts or any air current."  
  
He stood up and looked around,  
  
"Okay, guys. Let's gear up, shut that light off and get started on this lockdown."  
  
With that said, we all headed over the cases of camera gear. I watched Aaron zip up this trademark black vest and fill it with equipment.  
  
Zak was checking the flashlights and make sure they worked, I was getting my own Night-vision camera together close by.  
  
As I attached my Infrared light to my Night-vision camera, I couldn't help but feel more apprehension coursing through me. What was so important about Anna's room besides Zak's possession?  
  
Nick seemed to notice the focus in my eyes,  
  
"Hey Aura, you okay?"  
  
My heart skipped and I quickly replied,  
  
"Oh, yeah. I'm fine."  
  
I couldn't tell him that I was nervous to investigate because of my hunch that I would encounter something in Anna's room.  
  
He slightly shrugged and continued to check the Digital Recorders.  
  
Once we were set with our Night-vision camera and other pieces of equipment, Zak stood the light switch at the doorway.  
  
"Lights out, everyone set?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
We all replied in unison, and Zak flipped the switch. It was pitch-black except for our LCD screens.  
  
As my heart raced, I tried to keep Anna's room out of my mind as we headed off to our investigation.  
  
\-------------------------------------


	5. Lockdown Part 1

Lockdown Part 1  
  
As we walked single file down the Administration hall, Zak grabbed a hold of the door knob of the double doors.  
  
"Back through the Gates of Hell…" Aaron joked, we all chuckled.  
  
The door squeaked open and Zak walked through, lightly patting the door.  
  
"All right, inmates. You remember us? We're back."  
  
I looked around while listening for any unusual sounds besides our echoing footsteps. Scanning the stairs beside us, Zak continued his introduction.  
  
"I'm back on the job, you all better not cause trouble or else-"  
  
CRACK  
  
He whacked his belt whip on a wooden pillar next to him, Aaron stepped back a few inches.  
  
"Dude, you hit me with that thing again, I swear to God…"  
  
Laughing lightly, I smiled with Zak and Nick.  
  
Just as Zak opened his mouth to talk again, I lifted my hand and spoke up.  
  
"Wait, Zak." Paused for a second, our voices silent.  
  
"What?" Zak asked.  
  
Pointing up to the ceiling, I filmed Zak and Aaron while answering him.  
  
"You hear that, upstairs? It sounds like footsteps."  
  
Standing completely still, we all heard the disembodied sound of footsteps. The audio on our cameras also picked up the sound.  
  
"Should we go up there?" I asked.  
  
"Yeah, good call." Zak replied and headed for the main stairs, then spun around to Aaron.  
  
"Aaron, why don't you place an X camera here before we go up?"  
  
Setting down the tripod and assembling the camera, we walked up a few stairs to give him room. Once he got the camera recording, he followed right behind us.  
  
As I filmed behind Zak walking up the stairs, he had some trouble finding each step.  
  
"It's so dark in here, I can't see." Zak grumbled in frustration,  
  
"Then why not get a camera so you can see?" I retorted, Zak shot me a look and replied to my remark.  
  
"You wanna lead this investigation? Please do."  
  
His sarcastic tone shot over my head, Nick and Aaron heard him, too.  
  
"Maybe she should, she won't taunt the ghosts like you do." Aaron laughed.  
  
"All right, all right." Zak walked past me and extended an arm behind me.  
  
"Aaron, you got a spare Night-vision camera on you?"  
  
"Yeah, one sec." He ripped the Velcro on his vest, and handed Zak the camera.  
  
As Zak stepped in front of me, I quickly shut off my Night-vision.  
  
"That's how dark it is in here, that's why we have-"  
  
BUMP  
  
FLOP  
  
"Oww…"  
  
Flicking my Night-vision back on, I continued while laughing under my breath.  
  
"-a hard time…watching where we're going."  
  
Zak was slumped in front of me on the first step, he apparently lost his footing and fell on the stairs.  
  
As I tried to get a hold of myself, I spoke up with Nick and Aaron.  
  
"You okay?"  
  
"You all right, dude?"  
  
"Yeah, fine." Zak just picked himself up and turned to me,  
  
"Thanks for the suggestion."  
  
All jokes aside, we found our X in the Annex hallway.  
  
Turning my left was the boys' dormitories and headed down that way, I walked down the hall as the guys set up the Static Night-vision camera.  
  
Slipping a Digital Recorder from my pocket, I spoke up as I pressed record.  
  
"Rolling at Preston Castle, Aura, Zak Nick and Aaron." I tagged the recorder so that if the guys spoke during my session, I wouldn't mistake them for an EVP.  
  
As Zak walked past me, I made sure to tag our footsteps.  
  
"We're walking, we're walking."  
  
We entered the boys' dormitories one after another.  
  
Zak shined his flashlight to find our X while Aaron walked close to me,  
  
"You think any of the boys here will want to communicate with you?" he spoke lightly.  
  
"Maybe…" I replied while filming Nick stand close to a window and scan the room.  
  
With all of us standing still, I held my recorder while Aaron filmed me.  
  
"I'm rolling my Digital Recorder to capture any EVPs or the sounds of spirit activity we can't hear with our ears."  
  
"You're starting to sound Nick." He chuckled behind his camera.  
  
"I guess I've been hanging around you guys too long." I retorted and as we laughed at that, I suddenly lifted my hand as Zak shushed us.  
  
"The footsteps…" He said very quietly.  
  
Zak filmed beside me to show that everyone was standing still, Nick spoke up with his recorder in hand.  
  
"Who's here with us?"  
  
We all paused for a minute then Zak asked a question,  
  
"Did you used to sleep in here?"  
  
I filmed around the room and noticed some very old beds, dusty like they haven't been slept in for a very long time.  
  
Zak walked over to one of the beds and laid in it,  
  
"Is this your bed?"  
  
I shook my head a bit while filming him, he was in for it as always.  
  
"If you don't want me here, then do something or make a noise."  
  
We waited and got nothing so Zak spoke up to us.  
  
"Why don't you guys go and check out the rest of this floor? I'll stay here until one of these boys freakin' do something."  
  
I scoffed under my breath and replied,  
  
"All right, I'll go out the hallway."  
  
"The Static Night-vision camera is rolling so you two go." Zak added to Aaron and Nick.  
  
"Make sure to yell if you need us."  
  
Aaron leaned towards my camera once out of earshot from Zak,  
  
"Let's see what happens, hopefully something good." I smiled with him then as we walked down the dark hallway, I remembered Anna's room was not far.  
  
I decided to break from Aaron's side and check out Anna's room, my instincts drew me closer with each step.  
  
Meanwhile Zak was still in the dormitories on the bed, still taunting the spirits.  
  
"Samuel Goins, was this your bed?" He paused then changed his tone with more authority.  
  
"Come on, make yourself known!" A brief pause, then….  
  
"W-WHHOOAA! GUYS!:  
  
Just as I was about to turn to Anna's room, Zak's yelling could be heard all the way down the hall. I spun around and sprinted alongside Aaron and Nick.  
  
We all spoke in unison,  
  
"What, dude?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I am not freakin' kidding right now, someone just freakin' tipped this bed." Zak replied in a raised and startled voice.  
  
"You serious?" I asked as Zak hunched over his bent knees.  
  
"Completely…serious." He replied while exhaling quickly, then stood up in fury.  
  
"Who did that?!" He yelled as he whacked his whip on the wall.  
  
Nick's Digital Recorder captured a response to Zak's taunts,  
  
 _"You know who did…"_  
  
Once we all calmed down, I followed them down the hall. As we walked, I suddenly felt something stop me.  
  
"Guys, hold it."  
  
"What, what's wrong?" Zak asked,  
  
"Anybody have an EMF detector?"  
  
"Yeah, here." Aaron ripped a velcro pocket and handed it to me.  
  
"Is someone here with me, you close to me?"  
  
The EMF detector held steady at 3, I very slowly rotated checking the temperature.  
  
"I could've sworn I felt something hit me, like just go through me."  
  
Just as I panned my camera back behind me, a strange ball of light shot down the hall and towards the door. As the orb flew by, the EMF detector jumped to a 7 for a split second. I also remember feeling a blast of cold air as the ball past me.  
  
"Whoa, I just got an orb fly by me and the detector picked it up, too." I responded to what I captured.  
  
"Who's there?" Zak stepped beside me, just entering my camera's frame.  
  
We stood there for several minutes and got no further response, so we headed back to base.  
  
I glanced back as we stomped down the stairs, still had no idea was so important about Anna's room.  
\-------------


	6. Lockdown Part 2

Lockdown Part 2

 

As we were setting up our Static Night-vison in the Playroom, I perked my head up and looked away. 

 

"What was that?"

 

"What's up?" Nick asked me, noticing as though he knew something got my attention.

 

"Did you guys hear that?" I paused,

 

"That female voice...sounded like someone was singing..."

 

Aaron and Zak looked around as I filmed them walk towards the outer hallway, Nick held out a Digital Recorder as we stayed, crouched down by the camera.

 

"Who's back here?" Zak called out, Aaron stood by to film him.

 

He paused, as we only heard their footsteps and nothing more.

 

Zak spoke up again, 

 

"Anna, are you down here, sweetie?" 

 

I was scanning over towards Nick when I heard a voice again and this time, it was captured on Nick's Recorder.

 

_Yes, hello..._

 

"Tell me you guys heard that one..." I retorted,

 

"Yeah." They all replied in unison.

 

"Anna, if that's you, could you sing for us again?" I asked, as the guys paused.

 

But we didn't get a response, even after staying there for 20 more minutes.

 

So we moved on and Zak gathered us to go over the next plan of investigation.

 

"Okay, guys. Uhh, I will stay here and check out the Shower room."

 

"Yeah, just try not to piss alone off there. Don't wanna repeat what happened last time." Aaron joked as Zak smirked at him.

 

Only about a month prior to investigating here, we were at the Old Wyoming Penitentiary. Zak was provoking, as he usually does, the inmates in a shower room there. He was shoved and high tailed out of there before finding us again.

 

This time, I hoped if he does make anyone here...maybe he'll scream like a little girl running away and we'll tease him about it later. 

 

"Haha, that's a good one, Aaron." Zak replied sarcastically, he chuckled.

 

"Just for that, Aaron guess where you're going?"

 

"Oh, God...where?" Aaron asked.

 

"You're going to the first floor by the Main Stairs. See if you can get spooked by a disembodied male voice." Zak replied.

 

"Come on, dude. That weird singing Aura says she heard is creepy enough, why not send her there?" Aaron retorted.

 

"Nah, I got something else to do." I replied while pulling out a bundled bouquet from my equipment bag.

 

"What's that?" Aaron remarked,

 

"A little something for Anna. Since she was discovered down here and you guys left some flowers last time, I thought why not I leave for something this time." I replied once more.

 

"Okay, you do that Aura. And would you stay down here and go back to the Playroom? Maybe you'll hear singing again." Zak asked me,

 

"Sure, no problem."

 

"Nick, you go and check out the Fire Escape?" Zak pointed to him,

 

"Okay, where? Like the first floor, or..." Nick replied,

 

"Doesn't matter, just check it out."

 

"All right."

 

" Okay, guys and gals," acknowledging me, 

 

"Let's gear up and do this."  Zak spoke in his lead tone as we dispersed.

 

\--------------------

 

I was alone in the basement of the castle....frankly, quite freaked out. Basements were never my thing, always creeped me since childhood. But only when I was with my guys did I swallow my nerves and do what I had to do.

 

"Anna, are you down here with me?" I paused while trying to find my way around,

 

"Where the hell am I? Can't see wh-" 

 

Suddenly, as I spoke, an orb flew across my LCD screen and around a corner. I knew from experience it wasn't dust or a bug. Dust looks like snow on screen and bugs have wing patterns, so this orb was possibly something paranormal.

 

Before I could ask anything, I heard a series of knocks get further away.

 

"Anna, if that was you, can you do it again?"

 

Sure enough, the knocks sounded again. And as I followed the sounds, they seemed to be leading me somewhere.

 

Meanwhile, Aaron got himself set up by the Main Stairs.

 

"All right. Hey, if any of you want to talk to me, could you speak into this red light I'm holding?"

 

He turned his camera to face him while grasping a Digital Recorder, exhaled a breath of nervousness.

 

"Dude, I hate not seeing what's behind me."

 

He stood while looking around,

"Could you maybe move something or knock on something?"

 

On the second floor, Nick just set up the Static Night-vison camera and scanned the room.

 

"Who's up here with me?"

 

Holding the recorder close to him, he looked around.

 

"Can you come talk to me?" He paused,

 

"Maybe tell me who the guard was...that committed suicide?"

 

He stayed silent, as he filmed the Fire Escape.

 

"I heard you jumped to your death, that's one hell of a way to go."

 

Just then, a disembodied response was captured on Nick's recorder and it sounds like being sarcastic to him.

 

_You don't say..._

 

Meanwhile Zak stepped into the Shower room, flipping his camera around to face him.

"Okay, I'm in the showers. Let's see if anyone will contact me..."

 

He rolled his own recorder, walking slowly.

 

"Who's down here? Who's standing here with me?"

 

Looking around in the dark, he gripped the whip though had no intention to provoke them yet.

 

I was still feeling my way through the basement, hearing the knocking still...getting further from me, almost as though something or someone was leading me somewhere. 

 

Until sure enough, I found the room I was looking for.

 

"This is it, where Anna's bludgeoned body was discovered."

 

Could it be possible that Anna's spirit had made those knocks to lead me here?

 

"Anna, I brought something for you."

 

I unwrapped the bouquet of pink and yellow flowers, and knelt down to put them down respectively.

 

"I'm so sorry for what happened to you, I hope that you are happy and at peace...wherever you are."

 

I stayed for a few minutes and headed back, looking for the Playroom. In the distance, I could faintly hear Zak's voice.

 

"Hey Zak, I'm heading past you and check out the Playroom."

 

I spoke up so he knew I was coming and mistake me for a spirit.

 

"Alright, kiddo. Just watch your step." 

 

He replied, then an EVP was captured on his camera's audio.

 

_Hey...they brought a girl..._

 

Zak stood still, keeping his camera facing him while looking around.

 

"Could of sworn...I can feel someone's right here. And Aura's in another room..." He paused.

 

"Who's here? Show yourself."

 

As I sat down near the Static Nightvison camera, I held out my recorder once more.

 

"Who was it that was singing earlier? Can you do it again? It was very nice."

 

As I stayed still, the guys were also all in their spots. But 20 minutes elapsed for all of us without any responses, so Zak clicked on his walkie.

 

"Alright, guys. Let's go back to base and set up for the next plan of investigation."

 

"Okay, headin' your way." Aaron replied,

 

"Alright, going back to base now." Nick also replied.

 

As he was about to go down the stairs, a disembodied female voice was captured on his camera and heard it with his ears.

 

_She needs you..._

 

"Who's there?" 

 

He froze in his tracks, looking back towards the pitch black hallway.

 

"Who just spoke to me?"

 

He stayed there for a few minutes, but got no more responses.

 

As we gathered at base camp, Nick hooked up his camera to some speakers as he rewound the tape. When it reached the captured voice, the guys had huge grins. I did, too...but my heart also skipped a beat.

 

Is Anna trying to tell Nick that I need him?

 

I have been trying to avoid investigating alone with him, ever since that dreadful paranormal experience at the Bartonville Insane Asylum. For months, the guys sensed something was off about me but I never wanted to talk about it. 

 

Trying to put it out of my mind, the guys decided it was time to put some new equipment together. But little did we know, our Static Nightvison camera in the Playroom caught another EVP. A disembodied male voice that wasn't able to be deciphered.

 

As we were setting up our cameras to investigate again and I was fitting my camera with a new battery, I felt Nick grasp my shoulder.

 

"Hey, Aura. Do you need anything? You've been kinda quiet whenever we're not investigating..."

 

I stared at his warm, brown eyes, smiling in appreciation.

 

"Thanks, but no, really. I'm fine."

 

"Alright, don't hesitate to tell us if you do need anything."

 

I nodded as he stepped away, though under my smile...I hid some ghosts of my own. In a way, I do need Nick...as a friend and role model, to understand why I do this...why I isolate myself from him. 

 

We were almost ready to go, I was hoping I can put this negative feelings and thoughts away. I need to focus, I'm part of this team and part of this investigation. 

 

But I had no idea just how big of a role I was about to play...

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